England captain Ben Stokes admits he is managing “the back end of my career” after choosing to skip the Indian Premier League and prioritise his time in international cricket.
Stokes sat out the lucrative T20 tournament earlier this year in a bid to ease his workload following long-running knee issues but was expected to throw his name into the hat for the 2025 edition, with big-money deals on offer at the recent ‘mega auction’ in Saudi Arabia.
Instead, he was a notable absentee as the franchises spent big money elsewhere – including sizeable paydays for fellow Englishmen Jos Butter, Jofra Archer and Phil Salt, who all attracted deals in excess of £1million.
Stokes’ last contract with Chennai Super Kings valued him at £1.6m a year but at 33 years old and with a lengthy history of wear and tear on his body, the all-rounder insists he is focused on giving his all to England having signed a two-year central contract in October.
Speaking in Christchurch on the eve of England’s final Test series of the year against New Zealand, he explained his decision to opt out of the bidding for the sport’s most demanding domestic competition.
“There’s just so much cricket. There’s no hiding behind the fact that I’m at the back end of my career,” he told BBC’s Test Match Special.
“I obviously want to play as long as I possibly can. Looking after my body and looking after myself as much as I can is key to that – prioritising games and when I do play. Obviously I’m in South Africa this year (with MI Cape Town in the the SA20), so it’s about looking at what I’ve got ahead and making the decision that I think is right for me to be able to prolong my career as long as possible.
“I want to be wearing this England shirt for as long as I can.”
We don't need any more motivation than walking out representing our country but I think you've got to appreciate what New Zealand were able to do in India
In the immediate term that means taking on a Black Caps who stunned India by whitewashing them on home soil only a matter of weeks ago.
New Zealand walked away with a 3-0 win on their triumphant visit, inflicting India’s first loss on home soil since Alastair Cook’s England 12 years ago and a first ever clean sweep in a series of three or more games.
Stokes knows just how hard it is to turn India over on their own turf, having overseen a 4-1 series defeat at the start of the year, and knows he must try and bring the Kiwis back to down to earth when the first Test gets under way at 10pm GMT on Wednesday.
“We don’t need any more motivation than walking out representing our country but I think you’ve got to appreciate what New Zealand were able to do in India,” he said.
“Even though we’re coming up against them I think you’ve got to hold your hands up and give a huge amount of credit to New Zealand for going to India. I think it’s massive for world cricket.
“India have been such a force in their home conditions. A lot of teams around the world have gone there and wished they could have done the same thing but it’s a lot easier said than done. It was a huge thing for cricket in general, that a touring team has been able to go and get one over on India like that. I can’t remember a time when a team has been able to do that.”
England will hand out their seventh Test debut of the year at the Hagley Oval, with Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell stepping into the XI in the unexpectedly elevated position at number three.
Asking Bethell to perform a role he has never previously attempted in first-class cricket was not part of the original plan, coming only after wicketkeeper Jordan Cox broke a thumb in the nets during a warm-up week in Queenstown.
Stokes, who has had his share of injury woes over the years, sympathised with the 24-year-old.
“It’s a horrible thing to go through an injury and particularly when you’re on the verge of making your Test debut,” he said.
“But as gutted as I am, as gutted as the rest of the team are, you understand that Jordan is even more gutted. You put an arm round him, check in on how he’s going, but there’s not too much you can really say because it is absolutely gutting for the lad and a real shame.”
